Sound Politics: Signs of meltdown, spin control at King County Elections

September 19, 2006

Signs of meltdown, spin control at King County Elections

As of this writing, 10:09pm Tuesday, King County has tabulated only about 1/2 of the mail ballots it counted on last year's primary election day. This suggests there might be a problem

155,466 mail ballots have been received as of today [see snapshot of Absentee Returns page]

But only 45,521 mail ballots have been tabulated [see snapshot of Results page] (by now, some of the polling place ballots have been counted, increasing the total number of counted ballots)

Ron Sims has already issued a press release which sounds like spin control: "Pick-a-party primary slows vote tabulation"

On the first day of tabulation, King County Elections counted 45,521 absentee ballots, slightly less than expected and less than what was counted in a similar primary in 2004.

The only press release online from the 2004 primary does not report the number of mail ballots then tabulated. But see this King County Elections press release from last year's 'pick-a-party' primary [pdf snapshot]:

Staff Tuesday counted 90,709 absentee ballots of the 177,578 received to date as well as 52,456 poll ballots.

Hmmm.

Posted by Stefan Sharkansky at September 19, 2006 10:09 PM | Email This

Comments

1. Not only that, but the most recent King County update (just over 600) votes was nearly 97% in favour of the Democrats. Now, I'm not sure where those precincts are, but I somehow doubt that the Dems hit 97% in any precinct, let alone enough to consist 600 votes. We'll see, I suppose.

Goldmark must have managed some serious local mojo. More Democrats voted in Okanogan County than Republicans. I was *not* expecting that.

Posted by: Alcon on September 19, 2006 11:22 PM

2. Yeah, it was the voters fault. Yeah that's it. That's why they can't count the ballots.

King County Elections is a joke.

Posted by: Jeff B. on September 19, 2006 11:34 PM

3. Worse than ever. Just stop the spin, Ron. Stefan's SO onto you.

Posted by: Misty on September 19, 2006 11:52 PM

4. King county is a joke. I simply do not understand why RINO Reed doesn't hold all results until all results are in.

Either that or just capitilate and just admit King county decides for everyone.

I hate this miserable state that I so dearly used to love.

Posted by: Cheryl on September 20, 2006 12:03 AM

5. *capitulate

Posted by: Cheryl on September 20, 2006 12:04 AM

6. And the Times is reporting minor problems:

"flaws in about 10,000 absentee ballots.

The department expects that about 3,700 of the flawed ballots were used by voters. The ballots cannot be read by vote-tabulating machines, so election officials will have to copy the votes onto new ballots before they can be counted."

Posted by: Tyler Durden on September 20, 2006 12:07 AM

7. "More Democrats voted in Okanogan County than Republicans. I was *not* expecting that."

Posted by: Alcon on September 19, 2006 11:22 PM

Being a former resident of Okanogan County I have to also wonder if maybe this means hell has actually frozen over...

Posted by: J Mc on September 20, 2006 01:10 AM

8. Huh, they have to copy the votes onto new ballots... right, like I trust that procedure.

Posted by: Amber on September 20, 2006 07:36 AM

9. King County's only waiting to see how many votes they need to "find" to make sure the elections go their way! It's only a practice run for another November debacle.

Posted by: Bob on September 20, 2006 08:40 AM

10. It's unconscionable that King County elections dept. has made the requirements 2B a poll worker that it's almost impossible to find 'replacement' workers to fill a board. Several polling places were severely understaffed for this primary elction. This, along with conflicting instruction materials,resulted in confusion/errors regarding procedures 2B followed @ closing the polls. The increased "load" on the Inspector/workers led to errors in tabulation & proper procedures. Encouraging the voters to try the eletronic machine in the primary is looking for trouble in the General in Nov. Each voter then, if wishing to vote electronically, will be forced to wait in a long line since there is only 1 machine & 1 voter @ a time. It's just my opinion; judge 4 yourself. Are they trying to 'create' reasons for ALL MAIL IN BALLOTING? Think about it & decide 4 yourself!

Posted by: BTBW on September 21, 2006 12:29 PM